SHIMOGA: Only 25,000 beneficiaries have enrolled for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Shimoga district as against the target of one lakh this year.

The zilla panchayat, which has been given the responsibility of ensuring the effective implementation of the scheme, launched a special campaign on May 28 to popularise the scheme. "However, the response has been lukewarm, Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat P. Bore Gowda said.

Barring Shikaripur and Sorab taluks, the scheme is yet to gain momentum in Shimoga, Bhadravati, Tirthahalli, Hosnagar and Sagar taluks. The reason for the lukewarm response is the low wage of Rs. 74, while the beneficiaries are paid more than Rs. 100 if they work elsewhere.

But they are not convinced about the advantages of the scheme, the most important of which is flexibility, which allows them to join other stream of works without losing the linkage with it.

Besides, they should be made to know that the work offered to them at areca nut plantations is limited to 100 days whereas there is no limit for it under the scheme as they can work as long as they wish.

Success

Encouraged by the "phenomenal" success in Chitradurga, Davangere, Raichur, Gulbarga and Bidar last year, the scheme was extended to Shimoga, Kodagu, Hassan, Chikmagalur, and Belgaum districts, perhaps, without realising that the success in these areas was attributed to the use of machineries and involvement of contractors.

However, while extending the scheme to the Malnad region, the Centre revised it doing away with the use of machineries and entrusting of the work to contractors to ensure that the beneficiaries are paid directly.

Beneficiaries of the scheme are asked to open an account with a bank so that their wages are credited to it directly. They are issued job cards containing personal details after they are registered as workers.

Anybody who is in need of employment living within a radius of five km from the work place can join it irrespective of the fact whether they come under above poverty line or below poverty line categories.

Works

Gram panchayats are empowered to select the works to be taken up as part of the scheme. Each work should be entrusted to at least 10 workers.

Most of the eight employment generating works listed under the scheme relate to afforestation, construction of check dams and watershed projects. The highlight of the scheme is that there is no action plan for any work taken up under it.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail